Wally Downes admits his feud with Neil Warnock will not be brought to an end – even if his bitter rival helps Reading clinch automatic promotion on Sunday.

Royals will pinch a top-two spot if they can beat second-placed Birmingham City at Madejski Stadium on Sunday and Warnock’s mid-table Crystal Palace side avoid defeat against his former club Sheffield United at Selhurst Park.

Royals coach Downes and Warnock have a mutual dislike for each other that stretches back years.

And the pair nearly came to blows during Reading’s 3-1 victory over the Blades in January 2007.

Tempers flared between coaching staff and players after United winger Keith Gillespie’s flare-up with Stephen Hunt.

Both clubs were fined by the Football Association for failing to control their players, while Royals coach Downes was found guilty of improper conduct.

Although Reading, who cannot finish below fourth, are relying on Palace to get a result against the Blades, Downes will not go as far as promising to shake Warnock’s hand if he helps them out.

But the Royals coach joked: “I would shake him warmly by the throat.

“I have no idea how he will prepare for it, but Palace will want to finish off well enough in front of their fans.

“Two managers want to win, two sets of fans want to win. There is no question about the commitment of both sides.

“They will play the same way we will play our game.

“All we can do is prepare for Sunday. If we go up we start preparing for the Premiership and if we don’t then you start again in the play-offs. You have to go another three games which will be great.”

Warnock, a lifelong Blades fan, stoked up the fire yestersay by admitting he would rather Sheffield United went up ahead of Reading.

However, the Palace boss insists he will be doing all he can to mastermind victory over his old team.

He said: “I think Monty (Sheffield United midfielder Nick Montgomery) put it the best when he said that there won’t be any handshakes beforehand. That can wait until afterwards.

“Obviously if you gave me a choice of who I’d want to see go up – Birmingham, Reading or Sheffield United – then of course it would be United.

“But I certainly won’t be doing them any favours and they won’t be doing me any either.

“I want to win this game and my loyalties now are towards Crystal Palace.”

Royals’ Glen Little (hamstring), Noel Hunt (foot) and Ivar Ingimarsson (knee) are all out of Sunday’s clash, but Jay Tabb (illness) and Chris Armstrong (knee) could be back in contention.

Howard Webb has been put in charge of Reading’s crunch match with Birmingham City on Sunday (1.15pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports 1).

The South Yorkshire official was heavily criticised last weekend for awarding Manchester United a controversial penalty in their 5-2 win over Spurs.